Mary Elizabeth Winstead received some great advice from another major Star Wars actor after landing her role as Hera Syndulla in Ahsoka.
Hera is a leading general in the New Republic and a close friend to both Ahsoka Tano and Sabine Wren. Winstead’s character was first introduced in the animated series Star Wars Rebels, where Hera was instead voiced by actress Vanessa Marshall.
So far, in Ahsoka, Winstead's Hera has been a key ally in the former Jedi’s mission. The general also successfully pushed both the titular hero and Sabine back together so the duo could try their training one more time.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead Got Great Advice From Obi-Wan Kenobi
Back at Star Wars Celebration earlier this year, Ahsoka actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who plays Hera Syndulla, revealed that she got some perfect advice from her husband before taking on the part.
For those who don’t know, Winstead is married to Ewan McGregor, who is known for his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi.
At the big Star Wars convention, Screen Rant asked Winstead if her husband offered up any advice after she landed the big role.
The actress shared that he told her “to just enjoy it,” and McGregor noted how it is such “a special experience… to be part of something that means so much to so many people:”
“I mean, I don’t know that he gave me any advice necessarily other than to just enjoy it. Because… He just told me about what a special experience it is to get to be a part of something that means so much to so many people, and that already is proving true just from being here today.”
While speaking to Entertainment Weekly. Winstead elaborated on how her husband was “happy and excited for [her]” to get such an iconic role:
“He was just so happy and excited for me… He really was. He’s just like, ’There’s just nothing else like being embraced by this community and being a part of it. It’s just such a special thing.’”
At the same time, Ewan McGregor told ET Online that in the end, Winstead “doesn’t need any advice from [him]:”
“She doesn’t need any advice from me, but it was kind of cool that when it came up, and she was starting to think about it – we thought it was amazing to both be in this world together,” he said… It’s something that will [always] be with us. It’s not something that ever goes away.”
Speaking about the character to Screen Rant, Mary Elizabeth Winstead shared how “[Hera’s] grown a lot,” both as a general and her “maternal side:”
“She’s grown a lot. I mean, we get to see her in her element as a general, kind of leading an army and being such a strong and commanding leader. But also, she has grown in this maternal side of her as well, which we get to see in the show and how she is guiding those that are younger than her in the way that she always has. And that was a great combination, I think, to get to bring to her.”
Could Obi-Wan Kenobi and Hera Ever Meet?
Sadly, since Obi-Wan Kenobi is dead, it's unlikely that Mary Elizabeth Olsen and Ewan McGregor will ever share a scene in Star Wars. Even flashbacks would be difficult, given the short amount of time between the end of Rebels and the start of A New Hope.
Furthermore, there wouldn’t really be any reason for Hera to seek out Obi-Wan in the first place.
While Hera might not cross paths with McGregor‘s Jedi on screen, Lucasfilm could always find a way to bring back Winstead’s daughter, Esther Rose McGregor.
She previously played Daiyu spice peddler Tetha Grig in Obi-Wan Kenobi. While the role was basically a cameo, that leaves plenty of room for any creative talent to use the character however they see fit for another story.
And, unlike Obi-Wan, Tetha Grig could still be alive.
Then there’s Hera’s in-universe family, aka Kanan Jarrus, who died at the end of Rebels.
Many fans are hoping that Ahsoka can find a way to include a flashback so the two get a moment in live-action. This would be especially fitting since their child, Jacen, plays a role in the series alongside her mother.
Ahsoka is now streaming on Disney+.
